{"product_id":"original-imperial-russian-wwi-mpl-50-entrenching-tool-with-later-finnish-army-modification-and-overpaint-dated-1915","title":"Original Imperial Russian WWI MPL-50 Entrenching Tool with Later Finnish Army Modification and Overpaint - Dated 1915","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a scarce original Imperial Russian MPL-50 infantry entrenching tool dated \u003cstrong\u003e1915\u003c\/strong\u003e and later modified and overpainted for use by the Finnish Army.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe steel blade retains its 1915 date and additional markings that likely identify the original manufacturer or inspection authority. A hole was later punched through the blade, a modification associated with Finnish reuse that allowed the tool to be secured to field equipment or carried with a modified belt attachment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade was also repainted during its later Finnish service, giving this example a particularly interesting dual-service history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe MPL-50 takes its designation from the Russian phrase Malaya Pekhotnaya Lopata, meaning “small infantry spade,” while the number 50 refers to its standardized overall length of approximately 50 centimeters. The pattern developed from the short-handled entrenching tool patented by Danish officer Mads Johan Buch Linnemann in 1869 and adopted by several European armies during the late 19th century. Russia recognized Linnemann’s patent rights, paid him for the design, and ordered 60,000 examples.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Russian version became one of the most enduring military entrenching tools ever produced. Its basic fixed-handle design remained in service through the Imperial Russian, Soviet, and post-Soviet periods with relatively few major changes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example was manufactured in 1915 during WWI.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe face of the steel blade bears the date: \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1915\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditional markings are also present and may represent the maker, arsenal, or inspection authority. These have not yet been positively identified.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade shows substantial age, wear, oxidation, and evidence of later repainting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA circular hole has been punched through the face of the blade. This alteration is consistent with Finnish reuse of captured or inherited Imperial Russian entrenching tools, which were sometimes modified for attachment to Finnish carrying equipment. Surviving examples are documented as former Imperial Russian tools later reissued by Finland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overpaint is also consistent with later Finnish military refurbishment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinland inherited and captured large quantities of Russian military equipment during the collapse of Imperial authority, the Finnish Civil War, and the conflicts that followed. Practical items such as rifles, bayonets, ammunition pouches, entrenching tools, and field equipment were frequently retained, altered, remarked, or repainted for Finnish service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe exact date when this example entered Finnish possession is unknown. It may have been acquired during the revolutionary period following WWI, captured during later fighting, or drawn from stocks of former Russian equipment already present in Finland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade measures approximately 15 centimeters wide and 18 centimeters long, while the complete tool was designed to measure approximately 50 centimeters overall. These standardized dimensions allowed the tool to serve both as a practical digging implement and as a simple measuring reference in the field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sharpened lower edge was intended for cutting roots and breaking compacted soil. One side could also be sharpened for chopping, allowing the tool to serve in a role similar to a small axe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMilitary entrenching tools were indispensable to soldiers in the field. They were used to dig individual firing positions, improve trenches, construct shelters, clear vegetation, cut roots, and perform countless routine camp tasks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir compact size also made them useful as improvised hammers, paddles, and cooking surfaces when no better equipment was available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring WWI, the short entrenching tool also acquired a reputation as an improvised close-combat weapon. In confined trenches and dugouts, a sharpened spade could be easier to maneuver than a full-length rifle and bayonet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original wooden handle remains present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is unpainted and shows substantial age, handling wear, darkening, and surface marks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe handle is now somewhat loose where it enters the steel socket. It should therefore be handled carefully and should not be used for digging or striking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe steel head retains an aged military appearance with overpaint, oxidation, scratches, edge wear, and surface discoloration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo attempt has been made to remove the later paint or restore the blade to its original Imperial Russian finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat later Finnish overpaint and punched attachment hole are important parts of the tool’s service history and should be preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not simply a generic military spade. Its 1915 date places it within the Imperial Russian war effort, while the later Finnish alteration and finish document the widespread reuse of Russian military equipment by the newly independent Finnish state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA scarce dual-service entrenching tool connecting the Imperial Russian Army of WWI with Finland’s later adaptation of inherited and captured military equipment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003eCountry of Original Manufacture: Imperial Russia\u003cbr\u003ePattern: MPL-50 Small Infantry Entrenching Tool\u003cbr\u003eDate: 1915\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Steel Blade with Wooden Handle\u003cbr\u003eApproximate Overall Length: 50 cm, or 20\"\u003cbr\u003eApproximate Blade Width: 15 cm, or 5.9\"\u003cbr\u003eApproximate Blade Length: 18 cm, or 7.1\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44632293244997,"sku":"ONJR24HGGM014","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR24HGGM014__01.jpg?v=1770997681","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-imperial-russian-wwi-mpl-50-entrenching-tool-with-later-finnish-army-modification-and-overpaint-dated-1915","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}